PHL remains storm-free until weekend

MANILA – The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Thursday said the country will remain storm-free in the next three days.

In an interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Rene Paciente said the agency has not seen any weather disturbance near the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) that may develop into tropical cyclone within the next three days or until weekend.

He noted they monitored a cloud cluster but still has slim chance to develop into low pressure area.

He said the agency expects two to four tropical cyclones to affect the country this month.

The tropical cyclone that has so far affected the country this month was locally named “Hanna,” which enhanced the prevailing southwest monsoon. The next tropical cyclone will be locally named “Ineng.”

Except in extreme Northern Luzon, expect fair weather with isolated thunderstorms in most parts of the country including Metro Manila.

Paciente said due to the presence of southwest monsoon or “hanging habagat” affecting the extreme Northern Luzon, occasional rains will be experienced over Batanes Group of Islands.

The southwest monsoon continues to be the dominant weather system, which is associated with the occurrence of intermittent to continuous rains.

In its Thursday forecast, Paciente said the rest of the country including Metro Manila will have sunny to partly cloudy to cloudy skies with possible isolated rains due to localized thunderstorms.

In its advisory, PAGASA said light to moderate winds blowing from the southwest will prevail over extreme Northern Luzon and coming from the southeast to south over the rest of the country.

The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate.

The state weather bureau has not issued gale warning as fisherfolks are safe to venture into the seas.